As the population of the valley grows, so do the languages that are spoken. With the influx of those who don't speak English, comes a growing need for law enforcement to communicate with them.
That's where the Augusta County Sheriff's Department's new hand held translator comes in handy. Designed to effectively communicate with someone who does not know English. The machine has twenty five languages, and over three thousand commands.
Everything from can i see your license, to stop or i will shoot. And at just under a thousand dollars a piece, the department believes they are a bargain. Dep. Brian Jenkins says, "for what we are getting out of these devices, it's pretty good."
The Speechguard is obviously useful for traffic stops, especially along Interstate 81. But imagine there is a missing juvenile, and his parents don't speak English. Jenkins adds, "With this device we can ask pertinent questions of the parents and get the information out there much more quickly."
A quicker response that could potentially save a life. As a matter of fact, the device might have already done just that.....
"The officer stopped a Spanish speaking individual who had no English skills. Suspected he was under the influence. Utilizing this device, he developed probable cause for an arrest."
An arrest that took a drunk driver, off the road.